Best Board Games

To select these six family-friendly crowd-pleasers, more than 30 kids (and their parents) went head-to-head at home, testing 50 of this year's offerings. For more great toys, check out the 2011 Toy Award winners.

A Changed Game

A Changed Game

Hasbro's Connect 4 Launchers ($20) reimagines the classic and heightens the four-in-a-row fun by having opponents fling their checkers onto the board. The goal: to land them consecutively and block the competition from doing the same. Two to four players; ages 5 ; hasbrotoyshop.com.

Everyday Visuals

Everyday Visuals

Got an eye for detail? Each transparent card in MindWare's Pix Mix! ($20) has a line drawing of a common object (telephone, hammer, etc.). Cards are piled six high; players have 30 seconds to discern each image within the squiggly jumble. Two to four players; ages 8 ; mindware.com.